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Amelia Mary Earhart (
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/ˈɛərhɑrt/
[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Pronunciation_respelling_key|AIR-hart]]; born July 24, 1897; missing July 2, 1937, declared legally dead January 5, 1939) was a noted American aviation pioneer and author.[1[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amelia_Earhart#cite_note-Morey_p._11-0|]]] [N 1[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amelia_Earhart#cite_note-2|]]] Earhart was the first woman to receive the U.S. Distinguished Flying Cross,[3[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amelia_Earhart#cite_note-3|]]] awarded for becoming the first aviatrix to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean.[4[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amelia_Earhart#cite_note-4|]]] She set many other records,[2[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amelia_Earhart#cite_note-Oakes_1985-1|]]] wrote best-selling books about her flying experiences and was instrumental in the formation of The Ninety-Nines, an organization for female pilots.[5[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amelia_Earhart#cite_note-Lovell_1989.2C_p._152-5|]]] Earhart joined the faculty of the world-famous Purdue University aviation department in 1935 as a visiting faculty member to counsel women on careers and help inspire others with her love for aviation. She was also a member of the National Woman's Party, and an early supporter of the Equal Rights Amendment.
During an attempt to make a circumnavigational flight of the globe in 1937 in a Purdue-funded Lockheed Model 10 Electra, Earhart disappeared over the central Pacific Ocean near Howland Island. Fascination with her life, career and disappearance continues to this day.